General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 9 May 2024.
Annie Wells
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any reduction in the number of taxis in Glasgow as a result of the introduction of the low-emission zone in June 2023. (S6O-03414)
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
The number of licensed Glasgow City Council taxis reduced from 1,390 in May 2023 to 1,347 in January 2024. However, that reduction can be attributed to declining public demand for taxis rather than being a direct result of the low-emission zone, because Glasgow City Council offered its taxi fleet a 12-month exemption, from June 2023 to June 2024, from LEZ penalty charges. Glasgow City Council has announced that it will offer a further extension to the exemption for some taxis beyond June 2024, if taxi operators can demonstrate a commitment to retrofit vehicles or purchase compliant replacement vehicles.
Annie Wells
Conservative
The fact is that hundreds of black taxis are still non-compliant with the Scottish National Party’s low-emission zone in Glasgow, which means that they risk going out of business when the exemption ends next month. In February, Brian O’Hara of the Glasgow Taxi Trade Credit Union said that the lack of an exemption for taxis risks putting 400 small businesses out of business. That could all be prevented if the exemption continues for taxis that are not compliant.
I have one simple question for the Cabinet secretary. For the sake of Glasgow’s black taxi drivers, will she back the extension of the exemption for those taxis—not the 76 that are already exempt?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
If the member was listening, she would have heard that that is exactly what Glasgow City Council is doing. It is offering a further exemption, should there be a demonstration that retrofitting is planned.
Unlike other major cities in Scotland, Glasgow City Council does not have an age limit on taxis, so there is a higher proportion of older, non-compliant taxis, specifically in the Glasgow fleet. Annie Wells will be aware that the LEZ retrofit fund is open for applications and provides up to £10,000 towards the cost of retrofitting a taxi.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Bob Doris has a brief supplementary question.
Bob Doris
Scottish National Party
What are the preliminary indications for the impact of the Glasgow low-emission zone on air quality in Glasgow, in contrast with the level of air pollution in the city prior to its introduction?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
Because it takes many years for fleets to adapt to LEZ entry standards, the improvement is spread over a long period ahead of LEZ enforcement, rather than happening overnight, when enforcement commences.
In 2018, Glasgow Hope Street recorded an annual average nitrogen dioxide level of 61 micrograms per cubic metre. In 2023, it recorded an annual average nitrogen dioxide level of 39 micrograms per cubic metre, which is below the air quality objective limit. Furthermore, the highest daily average level at Glasgow Hope Street fell from 108 micrograms in 2018 to 72 micrograms in 2023, and the highest hourly level there has fallen significantly—from 310 micrograms in 2018 to 124 micrograms.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Paul Sweeney has a brief supplementary question.
Paul Sweeney
Labour
The reality is that the cost of renewing a taxi to be compliant can be £60,000 to £100,000. The £10,000 grant is simply not sufficient, particularly when a lot of the affected taxi drivers are approaching retirement age or are in their 50s and cannot take out that huge amount of finance. Will the Cabinet secretary review the financing arrangements that are available for people to scrap or retrofit their taxis?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
We are paying a lot of attention to the four LEZ local authorities—the three that are about to commence their LEZ and Glasgow City Council, which has commenced its LEZ. The plans for that have been in place for some significant time. I mentioned that there is more of an issue in Glasgow, because it does not have licensing rules like other councils, which have insisted on improvement in their fleets.
As I said, Glasgow City Council has announced that it will offer a further extension to the exemption for some taxis beyond June 2024, if taxi operators can demonstrate a commitment to retrofit vehicles or purchase compliant replacement vehicles. On the finances for individuals, I am sure that engagement with Glasgow City Council will help to scope out requirements.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
